IFEAT announces Nusa Dua, Bali as destination for 2019 Conference

The 11th IFEAT Study Tour took place in Spain from 15th to 23rd June 2018.

On Friday 15th June 2018 some 50 IFEAT members from 22 countries met at the celebrated Alfonso XIII hotel in central Seville for a welcome dinner at the start of IFEAT’s 11th Study Tour to Spain (SST).

Twenty-one years earlier the hotel was the location for IFEAT’s Seville Conference. Following an initial briefing, the SST began as it was to continue – convivial and knowledgeable people, excellent food, perfect weather and fascinating Spanish culture – this time some amazing flamenco music and dancing. Some delegates got into the mood earlier in the day with a flamenco lesson.

Each study tour is both memorable and different. By the end of the SST on Saturday 23rd June delegates had travelled over 1,500 km through magnificent scenery starting in Andalucía, Spain’s most southern province bordering Portugal, to Perelada Castle in the northeast on the French border. The eight days were filled with visits to a range of diverse companies and organisations – mostly IFEAT members – involved in a range of F&F activities. Delegates saw and discussed at length a large number of essential oils and other F&F ingredients. Each company gave a warm welcome and explained in great detail the growing, harvesting, distillation and further processing of a range of Spanish produced F&F ingredients. Moreover, it was exciting to see the important strides and efforts that Spain is taking to increase the volume and range of natural F&F ingredient production.

A key feature of study tours is the interaction between participants from many countries and various F&F sectors. During the long hours travelling together they share their knowledge and experience either through individual discussions or via the “bus lectures” – it is an intense learning experience in an enjoyable environment. Nevertheless, considerable stamina is needed – early rises, often daily checkouts, much travelling and on the go all day, late nights and dinners. But everyone seems to enjoy them and returns to work refreshed and revitalised.

The weekend started in Huelva and Seville, with visits to three companies specialising in cistus (Cistus Ladaniferus L.). The first was Biolandes Andalucía S.A., which operates a 24/7, automated cistus processing plant. Biolandes, the parent company, is a world leader in natural extract production. The others were Aromas Y Esencias Del Andevalo, Spain’s largest producer of ciste oil, and Aromasur, owned by Albert Vieille, whose chairman Georges Ferrando was there to greet us. While Aromasur’s major products are cistus-based, it processes a range of other natural extracts all of which were available during the smelling session.

For many members it was their first experience of seeing cistus, which grows wild on large expanses of uncultivated land and has a strong balsamic ambery odour. Cistus develops a protective gum and reproduces quickly after being cut or burnt. The branches are harvested from July through to October and products made by distillation or extraction of the twigs are called “cistus”, while products derived from the gum are called “labdanum”. Detailed descriptions as well as documents were provided of the techniques used to produce the range of products e.g. cistus and labdanum oils, concrete, absolute, gum labdanum and ambreine. Spain produces 80% of cistus derivatives and Andevalo is the dominant producing region. Annually approximately 10,000 MT of cistus twigs are processed of which 6,000 – 7,000 MT are used to produce 300 – 350 MT of gum labdanum, a major perfumery ingredient. Distillation produces about 1.5 MT of cistus oil, predominantly organic, and the extraction process produces 60 to 70 MT of concrete.

A planned visit to a thyme distilling operation was cancelled because of the late crop; instead we saw the harvesting and distillation of Eucalyptus globulus. In Spain an estimated 70,000 MT of eucalyptus are distilled annually. This has been growing thanks to the unintended consequence of government subsidies to clean forest floors to minimise serious forest fires, leading to an almost cost-free raw material.

Also on Sunday a visit was made to Destilaciones Bordas Chinchurreta S.A., a third generation family company and a leading supplier of ingredients for human and animal food, as well as the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors. Bordas has been intimately involved with IFEAT since its foundation. Alongside a smelling session, there were excellent presentations, particularly one on the use of essential oils in animal feeds. A comprehensive tour of the company’s very impressive 19,000m2 processing operations was made, followed by a superb sponsored lunch in the Pelli-designed 40-floor skyscraper overlooking Seville.

Two days were spent in Segovia and Guadalajara in central Spain, where pine oleoresin (gum turpentine and terpenes), lavender, lavandin and helichrysum were the focus of attention. In the forests around Coca delegates saw the tapping of 50-75 year old pine trees – another new experience for most delegates. The pine oleoresin is then processed into gum turpentine and rosin at the nearby operations of Luresa Resinas, S.L. (formerly La Union Resinera Espanola, founded in 1898). We then moved to the beautiful 15th century Coca Castle, where a detailed presentation on the global resin, turpentine, terpene sectors was made, followed a presentation on trends in the global terpenes industry and their vital role in ensuring the future sustainability of the F&F sector. The dinner in the evening was in Segovia overlooking the magnificent 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct.

The following day we travelled to the beautiful historic town of Brihuega, some 920 metres high, which has become the centre of Spain’s expanding lavender industry. We visited Intercova Aromaticas’ 125 ha of lavender/lavandin and 10 ha of immortelle (helichrysum) fields and then its new distillation facility, incorporating some of the latest technology. The owner Emilio Valeros, a leading Spanish perfumer, guided us around the operations. Lunch was at Brihuega Castle followed by presentations on the Spanish and French lavender industries and on Spain’s expanding essential oil industry, including fennel, immortelle, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. Dinner was at the magnificent Castle of the Bishops of Sigüenza – surrounded by many Ferraris and other classic cars also on tour.

Next day we took our second high-speed train journey, this time to Barcelona. We visited the Ventos operations and saw various forms of distillation (molecular, fractional and CO2), as well as toured the impressive warehouse facilities. Also AILIMPO – the association representing the Spanish lemon and grapefruit industry – gave an excellent presentation on Spanish citrus and its oils. In the evening Lluch Essences entertained us to a superb buffet and paella meal overlooking the beach in Barcelona.

Two companies involved in citrus oils – as well as other vegetable oils – were visited in Lleida, a rich horticultural area. At Textron, part of the Plimon Group, we toured their new operations producing a range of vegetable oils mainly for the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical sectors. Close by we toured Dallant’s Moleva plant to see the processing of fruit juices, fruit by-products and various speciality compound flavours, emulsions and juice blends.

The final day was spent at Jordi Calonge’s estate at Empordu, visiting the surrounding plantation and assisting in loading the still used for cypress and lentiscus distillation. After a very intense week, delegates were able to “chill out” and enjoy a string quartet and swim in the pool. The evening saw a farewell dinner and firework display at Perelada Castle followed by a disco – a fitting end to a superb week.

Throughout the tour delegates were able to witness many aspects of Spain’s rich cultural heritage and entertainment. Every day a wide range of excellent Spanish cuisine and drinks were available – although perhaps too much and too late for some! From beginning to end, both the weather and organisation were excellent. The Local Organising Committee of Jordi Calonge and Ramon Bordas, as well as tour agent Events&Co, are to be warmly congratulated, alongside the many Spanish companies that participated, and sponsored events and gifts, as well as opened their operations to visitors over the weekend. This was yet another memorable IFEAT study tour and for many delegates a wonderful and unforgettable learning experience.

A book on the SST has been published and will be distributed to all attendees.

Below is a roundup of IFEAT Conferences going back to 2006 in Cape Town.

The conference proceedings are available to members when logged in. These can be found on our publications page under Conference Proceedings. Click on the blue bar to read more about each Conference.

Cartagena 2018

IFEAT 2018 CARTAGENA CONFERENCE 9TH – 13th September 2018

Cartagena, overlooking the Caribbean Sea, is the top tourist destination in Colombia, with a charming historic walled city that provides a fascinating insight into the city’s past, and due to its historical heritage, UNESCO declared the city a “World Heritage Site” in 1984.

The theme for the 2018 Conference was ‘Las Américas’ and it focussed on the essential oils and F&F markets in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Amazon, as well as the addressing legislative and scientific issues.

Just over 1,170 delegates and 60 accompanying persons attended the Conference representing 54 different countries and we are delighted to say that this included first timers from the South American region – including El Salvador, Ecuador and of course Colombia. Our aim is always to try and take the Conference to a new audience and this year we achieved just that.

The Conference opened with the Welcome Reception on Sunday evening. This was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, one of the two host hotels for the event. Almost 1,000 people joined this traditional ice breaker for drinks, canapés and their first taste of some traditional Colombian dancing!

The Conference programme was opened on Monday morning by Cartagena Conference Chairman, Raúl Amigo, who introduced the opening lecture – ‘Fragrance and Flavour Trends in Latin America’ by Elena Novas (VP, Regional General Manager at IFF, Fragrances – Latam).

This was followed by a ‘Citrus Overview’ session which included lectures on ‘Actions to Control Citrus Greening Disease In Brazil’ (Juliano Ayres, Fundecitrus); Lemon Production & Economic Changes in the Argentinean Lemon Industry (Andy Blum, Citromax & Sergio Davalos, Cota Ltd); Citrus in Mexico: Production and Industry Challenges – Now and in the Future (Norberto Antonio Rodríguez Zenteno, Frutech International Corporation de México) and ended with a Panel Discussion on Citrus with all of the speakers from the Citrus session.

Monday afternoon’s session was entitled ‘The F&F Industry & Essential Oils in Colombia and the Broader LATAM Region’. This regional overview commenced with ‘Colombian Aromatic Plants & Essential Oils: A New Dawn for Colombian Agriculture’ presented by Dr Elena Stashenko (CENIVAM) and then continued with presentations on ‘The Production of Essential Oils in Guatemala, El Salvador & Honduras’ (Luis Alberto Asturias, Aromas Naturales S.A); ‘A Journey Through the Flavours of South America’ (Juan Elizalde, Cramer), and a presentation by Aldemar Castaño from Factores & Mercadeo S.A., who was a member of the Local Organising Committee for Cartagena, on ‘The Colombian F&F Cluster, Connecting the Americas and Caribbean’.

A further Discussion Panel on the ‘F&F Industry in Colombia and the Broader LATAM Region’ rounded up day one’s programme.

Day two of the programme started with the IFEAT Business Session, incorporating the AGM and Business Reports. During the AGM, there were two newly elected Executive Committee members announced, who are Aslan Gülçiçek from MG International Fragrance Company (MG Gülçiçek), Turkey, and Sofia Lluch from Lluch Essence, Spain.

The 2017 Report & Accounts were then presented and approved by members at the AGM.

This was followed by reports on the IFEAT Education Programmes at Reading and Plymouth Universities before a report and video on the IFEAT 2018 Study Tour to Spain which took place in June 2018, presented by one of the Tour’s attendees, Mehmet Çelik.

Then came the exciting announcements of the locations for the 2019 Conference and Study Tour.

The 2019 Conference will be held in Nusa Dua, Bali from the 29th September to 3rd October. Conference Co-Chairs Stephen Pisano and Ravi Sanganeria jointly presented a video showing a flavour of what the location will offer as well as announcing the Conference theme of ‘Naturals of Asia” which will have a focus on the essential oils and ingredients that come from Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and India.

The 2019 Study Tour will take place in Sri Lanka from 22nd to 31st July 2019. A presentation on the itinerary for the nine-day tour was made by Chamari Wickramathilake on behalf of the Local Organising Committee and it will include visits to plantations and producers of, amongst other things, sandalwood, citronella, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. This will be IFEAT’s second Tour of Sri Lanka – the first ever Study Tour was held there back in 2005 for a small group of less than 10 die-hards. The Tours now quickly sell out of the 50 available spaces within a matter of minutes!

Tuesday morning’s Conference session continued with the presentations of the IFEAT Best Student Medals. The recipient of the Best Student Medal for the ICATS Perfumery Course was Darrell Wilson and the recipient of the Best Student Medal for the University of Reading Flavourist Course was Patrick Beck.

The 2018 IFEAT Medal Lecture: ‘Scents from the Amazon: The Scents, the Weather and the Wind’ was given by Professor Dr Lauro E.S. Barata. Many attendees gave feedback that the Dr Barata’s lecture was “inspirational”.

The final session of the morning ‘Opportunities for Essential Oil Production in Latin America’ started with a presentation on ‘The Brazilian Fragrance Market’ by Patricia Shimojo, (Vollmens), then continued with ‘Aromatic Essential Oils as a Driver of Rainforest Conservation & Regeneration’ (Robin Van Loon, Camino Verde) and ‘From Forest to Bottle: Developing New Essential Oils’ (Iguatemi Costa, Natura).

After lunch, the focus moved to Regulatory & Legislative Developments, commencing with ‘Global Trade – Quo vadis?’ (Sven Ballschmiede, IOFI), followed by ‘Adding Value Throughout the Value Chain – IFRA in 2018 and Beyond’ (Martina Bianchini, IFRA); ‘Essential Oils and Pesticides: How to face the future with EFEO’ (Jean-François Quarre, EFEO) and ‘The History of Flavour Safety Evaluation’ (Richard Pisano Jnr, Citrus & Allied). The audience were then given a chance to question the presenters during the concluding Panel Discussion on Regulatory & Legislative Developments. The Conference programme was then formally closed by Cartagena Conference Chair, Raúl Amigo. Audience attendance figures for the Conference speaker programme this year were high and we received very good feedback from attendees.

The IFEAT Annual Dinner was held on Tuesday evening at Casa 1537, a beautiful historical venue hidden behind closed doors in the old walled City of Cartagena. Guests enjoyed a fantastic buffet and drinks before engaging in some highly energetic dancing led by some of the city’s finest professional dancers. Some sore feet (and heads!) were apparent the next day!

Although the main Conference Programme had concluded on Tuesday, there were further opportunities for delegates to engage in current topics with additional sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday saw a follow up to Richard Pisano Jr’s ‘History of Flavour Safety Evaluation’ presentation with a workshop on the same topic, and on Thursday, an additional ‘free to attend’ Distillation Forum, presided over by Rick Boucard, was held.

Following the popularity of the first Round Table Discussion held in Athens in 2017, a second such discussion took place on Wednesday, the topic was ‘Demand exceeding supply in essential oils: Is it going to last?’

There were also two full day courses available for delegates to attend, a Flavour Course, held on Wednesday and led by John Wright, and a Fragrance Training Course on Thursday which was led by Marianne Martin.

The Trade Exhibition opened to all delegates on Wednesday and Thursday. Exhibitors from many different countries took this opportunity to meet current business contacts and customers and make new ones over the two days. Please refer to the list of Exhibiting companies below.

The final event of the Conference was the highly anticipated Closing Banquet which took place on the beach at the Hilton Cartagena hotel. Guests were welcomed with cocktails and a carnival style atmosphere with entertainment from traditional Colombian dancers. Delegates then took their seats for dinner under a clear marquee which allowed for some fabulous views of the ocean, cityscape and night sky. Cartagena Conference Committee Chair, Raúl Amigo, invited his Committee and IFEAT Staff to the stage to thank them for their efforts in delivering such a successful Conference. This was followed by the presentation of the prestigious IFEAT Founder’s Award to Mr Erol Meshulam of MG International Fragrance Company (MG Gülçiçek), to the relief of his family and colleagues who had been sworn to secrecy for months!

It was the highest recorded attendance for an IFEAT Conference Closing Banquet – a clear indication that an increasing number of delegates and accompanying persons plan their trips to stay for the full duration of the Conference.

On behalf of Raúl Amigo, the Cartagena Conference Committee, the Local Organising Committee, and everyone else involved, we would like to thank you all for making the trip to Colombia and hope that the Conference was a success for you.

Athens 2017

IFEAT 2017 ATHENS CONFERENCE 24th – 28th September 2017

The IFEAT 2017 Conference was held in the beautiful and historic city of Athens, Greece, at the InterContinental Athenaeum Hotel, from Sunday 24th – Thursday 28th September. The Welcome Reception, held at the InterContinental hotel on Sunday 24th September, was attended by over 900* delegates and accompanying persons. Guests were greeted by Greek priestesses who presented them with a traditional olive wreath, before they moved into the cocktail reception to enjoy a wide range of canapés and drinks. The Welcome Reception is always popular and is particularly enjoyed as the first opportunity for people to see old acquaintances and meet new people. This year’s Conference was somewhat special as we celebrated 40 years since IFEAT’s inception in Kyoto in 1977 and we welcomed a record number of 1,237 delegates (1,098 of which are IFEAT members) from 59 different countries, representing 639 different companies/subsidiaries. We also welcomed a record number of 105 accompanying persons. The record attendance levels continued throughout the Conference at the plenary sessions and the Closing Banquet*. Not only did we celebrate the history of IFEAT, but we looked at the first steps into the ongoing journey of 40 centuries of perfumery. On Monday 25th September, IFEAT Athens Conference Chairman, Dominique Roques, formally opened the Conference by welcoming everybody to Athens and summarised what was to come over the forthcoming 4 days. “We are fortunate to have brought together an impressive range of talent who will deliver some highly interesting presentations”. Celebration opened the Conference on this first morning with a special presentation by Dr Wladyslaw S. Brud and Mr Richard C. Pisano Snr., who have been with IFEAT since the beginning. They presented 40 Years of IFEAT – The History;the first of two sessions looking back over the past four decades. Their second session took place on the morning of Tuesday 26th and was a photographic review of all Congresses with IFEAT participation and IFEAT Conferences from 1979-2016. To follow on the first day, Michael Carlos, President of RIFM and IFRA offered his highly-experienced view on the past and future of perfumery and creation, while Professor Jean-Pierre Brun, from the Collège de France, took us through a fascinating journey in our knowledge and discoveries of what Perfumery in Antiquity really was. The Monday afternoon session dealt with Challenges and Opportunities in Essential Oils with a joint presentation from Catherine Crowley and Jalal Charaf on Africa Rising: Naturals as a Challenge & Game Changer and Somalis’ Historical Frankincense Trade: Valuing Sustainabilityby Dr Anjanette Decarlo. This was followed by a panel discussion which was, as ever, an animated affair! On Tuesday morning, the IFEAT Business Session commenced with the AGM during which the Report & Accounts for 2016 and the appointment of the Auditor were approved. IFEAT’s outgoing President Raúl Amigo proposed two new members, Zahra Osman and David Tomlinson, to vacancies on the Executive Committee as well as Alastair Hitchen as his successor as IFEAT President. Antonella Corleone, IFEAT Executive Committee Chair, delivered the Annual Review for the year 2016-17 and this was followed by the Education Reports from the IFEAT programmes at Plymouth and Reading Universities. IFEAT President, Raúl Amigo, then revealed the destination for the 2018 IFEAT Conference to be Cartagena, Colombia. This will be IFEAT’s first visit back to South America since Buenos Aires in 2001. A report on the successful 2017 Bulgaria Study Tour was given along with a memorable video diary of the Tour. News of the 2018 Study Tour, which will take place in Spain in June, was presented by Jordi Calonge. With IFEAT Study Tours becoming increasingly popular, and usually fully booked within hours of registration opening, we expect the 2018 tour to be no exception. The 2nd part of the joint Richard Pisano Snr and Dr Brud presentation on IFEAT’s 40-year history then followed. The Tuesday morning session culminated with presentation of the Best Student Medals to Ruth Bare from the ICATS Course (Plymouth University) and Matteo Oldani from the Flavourist Course (Reading University). The Scientific Session on Tuesday afternoon covered Regulatory and Legislative Developments, starting with Pesticides in Naturals, presented by Michel Meneuvrier (SAPAD) and was followed by REACH, 10 years of defending the EU market access for our naturals, presented by Julie Cena. The session continued with Safety Assessments – The natural next steps, presented by Jim Romine, (President of RIFM), and was followed by Limonene: From a Calculated to a Data Based Hazard Classification for the Environment – The Impact on Essential Oils, by Dr Hans van Bergen. The programme finished with another discussion panel with a highly esteemed line up of Jim Romine, Michel Meneuvrier, Kim Bleimann, Jens-Achim Protzen, Martina Bianchini (President IFRA). The discussion was moderated by Sven Ballschmiede (Executive Director of IOFI). We were pleased to see a good number of delegates attending these sessions – more than in previous years. On Tuesday evening, the IFEAT Annual Dinner was held at the impressive Zappeion Hall, a building which dates back to the 1880s. Despite the unseasonable heavy rain showers, guests enjoyed the splendour of the building and an evening which was particularly special with IFEAT honouring some of its most influential contributors from the past 40 years. Firstly, with the presentation of the 2017 Founder’s Award which was presented to Michael G Boudjouk in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to both IFEAT and the F&F industry. Dominique Roques and Antonella Corleone then invited to the stage some very special guests. Each was presented with an individually engraved 40th Anniversary award, thanking them for their valued contribution towards IFEAT’s success over the past 40 years. Some of the recipients, although not now officially part of the current Executive Committee and organisation, are still very actively involved, whereas others have not attended an IFEAT Conference for a number of years, so we were delighted that they could join us in Athens. Awards were presented to:

Ronald V Neal (Founding Member of IFEAT, Past IFEAT President and Past IFEAT Executive Committee Chairman) – presented to his son Christopher Neal.

There were some additional award recipients who were not able to attend Athens so they will receive their award at a later date:

Necati Guler

Dr Clinton Green

Dr Brian Lawrence

Takio Yamada

Wednesday 28th saw the opening of the two-day Exhibition at the InterContinental Athenaeum Hotel with 29 exhibitors representing many different countries and areas within the F&F industry. Almost 800* delegates visited the exhibition on Wednesday alone, leaving exhibitors extremely happy with their experience. A full list of exhibitors can be found at the end of this report. In addition to the Exhibition, IFEAT ran two pre-bookable one-day workshops this year on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, Michael Zviely ran a Flavours and Flavourings workshop and on Thursday Joanna Norman ran an Intermediate Perfumery Workshop’. The workshops were very well attended and the feedback from both was very positive. We were excited to include a round table discussion on A Sustainable Future for Olibanum and Myrrh in Somaliland on Wednesday 27th September. A new addition to IFEAT Conferences, this fully booked discussion allowed an in-depth follow-up to Dr Anjanette Decarlo’s presentation on Monday 25th. Due to its popularity, this discussion panel format will be included in future Conference programmes. The Conference ended with 850 delegates and accompanying persons attending the Closing Banquet held at the stunning beachfront location of Balux Prive. Guests were greeted by stilt walkers and drummers before making their way up the ‘IFEAT blue’ carpet to take a glass of Champagne. They could then take in the beautiful views during sunset (the rain held off!) before witnessing a rousing firework display over the sea. The band proved very popular this year with delegates and accompanying persons dancing until the early hours of the morning. As it was IFEAT’s 40th Birthday, the evening could not pass without a birthday cake celebration! Dominique Roques and Antonella Corleone took to the stage to thank all of the sponsors, Athens Committee members and IFEAT staff, but it was then the turn of the IFEAT staff to thank them for their fantastic efforts towards making the Conference such a huge success – by crowning them ‘King and Queen of IFEAT Athens 2017’! The growing number of delegates year on year is testament to the ever-present relevance of IFEAT to the flavour and fragrance industries. People attend every year for the unrivalled business and networking opportunities that the Conference offers as well as the varied programme of lectures and workshops on offer. Delegates are attending from all over the world with large numbers from India, China and other parts of Asia hot on the heels of delegates from Europe and the USA who still lead the way in terms of representation. We look forward to the 2018 Conference in Cartagena, Colombia and to the next 40 years of IFEAT’s success. *Data source: official scanning data, each person counted once as a unique visitor.A huge thanks to all our Sponsors IFEAT 2017 For photographs of the event, visit: https://ifeat.org/athens-2017-gallery/

Dubai 2016

IFEAT 2016 DUBAI CONFERENCE 21st – 25th September 2016

The Welcome Reception, held in Fort Island at Madinat Jumeirah, on Sunday 25th September, provided a wonderful start to the 2016 IFEAT Conference – albeit somewhat hot and humid for some of the 709 of us: in that sense a sharp reminder of the global warming era we should be concerned with. Music then followed, and guests were able to greet each other while being provided with a range of delicious local amuse-bouches. This year there was a change to the conference programme, with only the first two days offering lectures and the last two days offering an exhibition. The new format worked well, with Delegates able to arrange their meetings around the programme and attend more presentations. The programme offered 18 presentations, many including videos, which covered a wide variety of topics. Networking over the full course of the Conference was, as ever, the raison d’être of the conference for many. Following the Opening Ceremony on the Monday morning (26th September), Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich, Switzerland, discussed the challenges and responsibilities for the 21st century fragrance and flavour industry. This was followed by a presentation by Patrick Mewton of Clotilde Limited, UK, providing an insight into why the F&F industry is increasingly embarking on strategic consolidations, and a presentation by John Bailey of The Perfumers Guild Limited, UK, on “Liquid Gold” which discussed the global success story of oudh. In the afternoon, four speakers covered the interesting topic of “Legendary Products: Yesterday and Tomorrow.” First, Aslan Gülçiçek of MG Gülçiçek International Fragrance Company, Turkey discussed the current and future market dynamics in the Arabian Peninsula. Guelleh Osman Guelleh of Neo Botanika & Neo Gr. Limited, Somalia, continued with a presentation on the incense trail. This was followed by a video recorded by Trygve Harris of Enfleurage Inc, Oman, about frankincense in the Sultanate of Oman. The session concluded with a presentation by Ashad Chaudhry of Ashad Botanix, Oman, who tackled the sustainability issue of frankincense production. Tuesday morning started with the IFEAT AGM and a review of IFEAT’s past year’s activities by Alain Frix, the IFEAT Chairman. Then followed a series of business reports on specific IFEAT activities over the past year, including reports on the Plymouth perfumery and Reading flavour courses, the successful USA Study Tour in August 2016, the forthcoming 2017 IFEAT Conference in Athens from 24th to 28th September and next year’s Study Tour to Bulgaria from 28th May to 2nd June 2017. This was followed by the election of our new Chairwoman, Antonella Corleone, to whom I wish the fairest of winds to steer the IFEAT ship these next three years. The IFEAT Medal Lecture was awarded to Abdulla Ajmal of Ajmal International Trading Co, Dubai, UAE, who prepared a very interesting presentation titled “Oudh, Perfumery, the Middle East and India: some reflections on a personal journey”. Dr Kanwal Deep, General Manager of Research & Development at Ajmal Perfumes, gave the presentation as Abdulla Ajmal could not attend. The afternoon and closing session concentrated on regulatory and legislative developments with four interesting presentations. On Wednesday 28th September a workshop was held by Dr Brian Lawrence: “The Science of Essential Oils”. It was attended by 31 Delegates (from 12 countries) who appreciated the opportunity to look at this topic in more detail with a recognised expert. Delegates also had the opportunity on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th September to visit the Trade Exhibition where 36 companies exhibited their latest products; while 36 private meeting rooms offered during the four conference days a centralised but discreet business environment for companies to quietly meet their clients and suppliers. The week in Dubai concluded on Thursday 29th September with the Closing Banquet on the beach facing the iconic Burj Al-Arab building, attended by 792 participants. This was held at the Events Arena of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Guests were able to enjoy mouth-watering culinary delights and the performances of various artists throughout the evening with a magnificent view over the night-time Persian Gulf. Dancing continued well into the night at the 360° night club attended by 311 hardcore partying Delegates, bringing to an end another very successful IFEAT Conference. The IFEAT Dinner on Tuesday night, which was attended by 420 people, was hosted at the Armani Pavilion at Burj Khalifa – the tallest building in the world. Guests enjoyed a dazzling evening with jaw dropping synchronised music and fountain works and plenty of local and international delicacies. The evening was livened up by amazing oriental dancing performances creating a very spirited and joyful atmosphere.

Sri Lanka 2015

IFEAT 2015 Sri Lanka Conference 27th September – 1st October 2015

The 2015 IFEAT Conference was held at the magnificent Cinnamon Grand Hotel, located right in the heart of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. The theme for the conference was “Asia: Source of Essential Oils and Medicinal Plants” incorporating a number of important topics of interest in the flavour and fragrance industry. The programme covered a variety of subjects such as market trends in the Asian region, social and technical developments, legislative and regulatory issues and a very interesting session on the use of medicinal plants in healthcare, food and cosmetics. There were some very good presentations on biotechnology and new production techniques in the “Market Trends” session. A new session held on the Tuesday afternoon, entitled “Social Achievements in the F & F Industry” also proved to be a popular session with delegates. There was a change to the conference programme this year, with two sessions per day (morning and afternoon) instead of three. The new format worked well, with delegates able to arrange their meetings around the programme and attend more presentations. Networking, as ever, was an important part of the conference for many, with delegates appreciating the time to meet face-to-face with their existing trading partners and friends as well as with potential new suppliers and customers. The IFEAT AGM and Business Session was held on the morning of 29th September. During this session a report was given on the successful 2015 French Study Tour and there were presentations on next year’s Study Tour to USA and the 2016 IFEAT Conference to be held in Dubai. Presentations were made by ICATS and the University of Reading on the two IFEAT sponsored education courses. Pei-Lun Lin from Taiwan, who participated in the Reading flavour course, was presented with her Best Student medal. Unfortunately the ICATS 2015 Best Student, Lisa Lam, was unable to attend. Dr R.O.B. Wijesekera then gave a fascinating Medal Lecture on “Science as the key to nature’s bounty”. His career over six decades has seen huge changes in the essential oils industry, and the possibilities opened up by scientific developments were eloquently described. Dr Wijesekera was presented with his medal by IFEAT President, Raul Amigo. As usual there was a break in formal proceedings on the Wednesday. Two workshops were held; the Perfumery Workshop given by Joanna Norman and the Medicinal Plants Workshop given by Professor Geoffrey Cordell. Both were attended by around 30 delegates who appreciated the opportunity to look at these topics in more detail with recognised experts. Delegates also had the opportunity to join one of three field trips; a trip to Galle to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a visit to Dassanayake Walauwa Plantation and HDDES Extracts (Pvt) Ltd to see the cultivation and processing of cinnamon and an industry visit to Link Natural Products (Pvt) Ltd in Dompe. Spectacular evening functions While there was a comprehensive formal programme of presentations, the important social character of IFEAT conferences was not neglected in Colombo. The Welcome Reception, held in the Kingsbury Hotel, on Sunday 27th September, provided a wonderful start to the proceedings, with guests welcomed by an elephant, representing one of the most important cultural and religious symbols of Sri Lanka. Music and dancing then followed, and guests were able to greet each other while being provided with a range of delicious local food. The IFEAT Dinner on Tuesday, which was attended by 484 people, was hosted at one of the most wonderful sites of Sri Lanka’s west coast, the Jetwing Blue Hotel’s beach in Negombo. This region is known not only for its beaches, but also for its warm tropical weather. Guests enjoyed a charming evening right beside the shore with good music and plenty of local delicacies. The evening was livened up by amazing performances, with dancers, fire-eaters, Bollywood performances and a versatile band with a huge repertory creating a very spirited and joyful atmosphere. The spectacular fireworks lighting up the ocean definitely left a lasting impression of a superb evening on the shores of Sri Lanka. The Closing Banquet on Thursday evening, attended by 677 participants, was held in the Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre, near the beautiful Beira Lake. To herald the start of this last evening, the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka gave a breathtaking concert and turned the convention centre into an elegant concert hall for almost an hour. The guests were able to enjoy Sri Lankan culinary delights and the performances of about 100 artists throughout the evening. Dancing continued well into the night, bringing to an end another very successful IFEAT Conference. Our thanks go to all the speakers who gave us such a fascinating week.

Rome 2014

IFEAT 2014 Rome Conference 21st – 25th September 2014

The 2014 IFEAT conference was held at the wonderful Rome Cavalieri Hotel overlooking the city of Rome. The theme for the conference was “The Mediterranean” reflecting the Mediterranean influence on our flavour and fragrance industries. The programme covered a variety of themes such as market trends in the Mediterranean region, legislative and regulatory issues, as well as social and technical developments, including a very interesting session on biotech developments. It was the largest ever IFEAT Conference. In total, 1062 delegates attended along with 121 accompanying persons and 68 day registrants coming from 51 countries. The conference provided, once again, a unique opportunity for delegates to meet face-to-face with their existing trading partners and friends as well as meet up with potential new suppliers and companies. The IFEAT Conference confirms once more to be the number one communication platform for the global flavour and fragrance industry. The Chair of the Rome Conference Committee, Antonella Corleone, opened the conference on the Monday morning, welcoming all delegates and chairing a session on “Essential oils in the Mediterranean Region”. This highlighted the strong historical and cultural links between the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea and the essential oil industry, in particular relating to products derived from lavender, lavandin and citrus fruits. The first session on the Tuesday covered “Technical and Social Developments in Essential Oils”. Presentations covered the latest findings with regard to pesticide residues in essential oils as well as purification of flavour oils through the use of designed polymers and a presentation on the IFEAT socio-economic study on the Calabrian bergamot industry. This was followed by the IFEAT business meeting, including the AGM and the IFEAT Medal Lecture which was a very detailed presentation on new analytical techniques for determining the authenticity of citrus oils by Professor Luigi Mondello. The final session of that day looked at the essential oil industry in regions where political tensions and social upheaval have taken place in recent years; North Africa and Eastern Europe. For the third time IFEAT hosted a Trade Exhibition on the Wednesday. A record number of 850 visitors confirmed that this rather new feature is very well accepted and has proved to be a perfect add-on to the Conference. There were also two technical workshops; a “Flavour Workshop” presented by John Wright and a “Chiral Short Course” presented by Paula Dugo. Attendees welcomed the opportunity to discuss these subjects in more detail with world experts in their fields. Thursday included three well-attended sessions covering the essential oils industry in the Balkans, the issue of biodiversity for fragrance and flavour houses and the ever-important issue of regulatory and legislative issues that affect the essential oils industry. The week in Rome concluded on Thursday with a sophisticated Closing Banquet at the Villa Miani, attended by 718 persons, enjoying the food, drink, music and spectacular fireworks….. with the promise to meet again in Sri Lanka next year. While the formal programme was intense, the important social character of IFEAT conferences was not neglected in Rome, by means of the special evening functions. Both the IFEAT Dinner on Tuesday, attended by 500 people, and the Closing Conference Banquet on Thursday evening were very enjoyable. Two excellent venues were chosen for these events: The IFEAT Dinner on Tuesday was hosted in the Villa Giulia, where the Museo Nazionale Etrusco is located. Guests enjoyed an Italian dinner surrounded by historical columns, gigantic pines and beautiful gardens. The evening was livened up by very typical Italian style entertainment, with opera singers, harpists and Italian famous film projections, creating a very relaxing and elegant atmosphere. The Closing Banquet on Thursday evening was held in the Villa Miani, an elegant neoclassical building surrounded by a beautifully kept garden offering unique and spectacular views over Rome. Some wonderful entertainment and the spectacular fireworks have surely left the delegates with a unique souvenir of the eternal city.

San Francisco 2013

IFEAT 2013 San Francisco Conference

29th September – 3rd October 2013

The 2013 IFEAT conference was held at the world renowned Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, USA. The theme for the conference was “Sustainable Growth” and incorporated lectures and presentations, focusing on various aspects of the sustainability of the flavour and fragrance industries globally. T his was the largest ever IFEAT Conference, with over 1,000 delegates present. There were presentations reviewing various aspects of:

Essential oils and aroma chemical developments in the Americas

Environmental, organic and sustainability issues

Global market trends and technical developments in the F&F industries

Updates on regulatory and legislative issues

Singapore 2012

IFEAT 2012 Singapore Conference 4th – 8th November 2012

The 2012 IFEAT conference was held at the magnificent Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, Asia’s financial hub. The theme for the conference was “Essential Asia” and incorporated lectures and presentations, focusing on various aspects of the growing Asian influence on the flavour and fragrance industries globally. This was the largest ever IFEAT Conference. In total, 980 delegates attended along with 94 accompanying persons and 45 day registrants. IFEAT grows more multinational each year with delegates from 53 countries attending the Singapore Conference. A true United Nations of flavour and fragrance ingredient suppliers! The conference provides a unique opportunity for delegates to meet face-to-face with their existing trading partners and friends as well as meet up with potential new suppliers and companies. On the evening of Sunday 4th November guests were taken by boat or coach to the Welcome Reception, held at One on the Bund, which takes its name from the area in Shanghai, an area which owns similar touches of colonial heritage to Singapore’s Clifford Pier. Ravi Sanganeria welcomed the guests and wished everyone a very successful conference. Drinks and canapés were served whilst guests welcomed one another and enjoyed the background music of the saxophonist.

Barcelona 2011

IFEAT 2011 Barcelona Conference 6th – 10th November 2011

At 09.00 the Conference was officially opened by Ramon Bordas, with members of the IFEAT Executive Committee and Local Organising Committee alongside him. The rest of the morning was filled with four very diverse but excellent presentations. The first by the Ventos trading company, based in Barcelona, provided a detailed analysis of nine non-citrus Spanish essential oils. The presentation included three excellent video films showing the production, harvesting and processing of these Spanish oils. Then followed two global overview presentations. One was an analysis of the rapid shifts taking place in the global F&F industry based on discussions with many CEOs in the sector; the other an analysis of the changing outlook for fine fragrance creation. The final presentation of the morning was a detailed review of the world lemon oil sector, which was the first of several citrus related presentations. The whole afternoon was devoted to citrus oils with separate presentations on orange, lime, mandarin and bergamot oils. The first lecture day ended with a panel discussion on citrus oil developments. The second day of lectures concentrated on market and technical developments, as well as legislative and regulatory issues. The morning presentations included developments in chiral chemistry, new developments in natural flavours as well as a substantial, amusing and wide-ranging polemic on the “Age of Unreason”, with particular reference to the fragrance sector. As usual, the IFEAT AGM and Business Session took up the last session of the morning. At the AGM, IFEAT members voted on several items and two new Executive Committee members were elected: Jens-Achim Protzen from Germany and Jalal Charaf from Morocco. Other items during the Session included the Annual Review of IFEAT activities during the very successful past year. In addition, there were presentations on the fragrance and flavour courses supported by IFEAT. Best student medals were awarded to Alin Bosilcov (from Austria) who participated in the University of Plymouth fragrance course and Edgar Crisotomo (from New Zealand) on the University of Reading flavour course. Unfortunately only Alin was able to attend to receive his medal. Other presentations included a short review of the very successful Indonesian Study Tour which took place in July 2011, and presentations on the 2012 IFEAT Conference which will be held in Singapore in November 2012 and the Brazil Paraguay Study Tour in August 2012. Then followed the IFEAT Medal Lecture presented by Francisco Fernandez Alvarez- Castellanos, on the development of the Spanish aroma chemicals industry. The afternoon session was devoted to “Legislative and Regulatory Issues” with three excellent presentations followed by a Discussion Panel. Presentations were made on the challenges and opportunities ahead for fragrance ingredients; fragrance policy drivers in North America; and the implications of the newly implemented EU flavour regulations. The Annual IFEAT Dinner was held on the evening of the 8th at the magnificent Cavas Codoriu which dates back to 1551 and is still in family ownership. Dinner guests were taken by coach from the Hotel Arts directly to the dinner venue. Prior to the dinner, guests were able to take a 20-minute underground train ride through the cellars where some 100 million bottles of cava are stored. Following an excellent dinner, some superb local traditional musicians and flamenco dancers entertained guests. Wednesday saw the day of the Field Trip with visits to two world famous family-owned companies, the Torres Winery and Freixenet Cava Cellars. At both locations, participants were taken on guided tours to learn about the operations, taste the various products, and go on a train tour of the extensive cava cellars, storing in excess of 100 million bottles. Prior to an excellent lunch at Freixenet, delegates undertook an aromatic tasting session as well as watch some traditional dancing. Wednesday also saw the Flavour Workshop at which some 30 participants were guided by John Wright through various aspects of flavour developments, including natural, synthetic, creative and regulatory aspects. Also there was a practical session at which participants were challenged to use the information they had been given to formulate their very own flavour. The last day of the conference saw three further sessions and some eight presentations. These included lectures on various technical aspects of essential oils and antioxidants as well as developments in the Latin American fragrance market and essential oils in Paraguay. The afternoon session and discussion panel covered “Environmental and Sustainability Issues” with excellent presentations on sustainability issues relating to natural essential oils; biological pest control in citrus as an alternative to chemical pesticides; and the environmental footprint of essential oils and synthetic chemicals. The end of the 34th IFEAT Conference saw the Closing Banquet held at the renowned Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. As guests arrived by coach they were welcomed by the Magical Fountain, a display of light and sound against the water fountain located at the base of the hill.

Marrakech 2010

IFEAT 2010 Marrakech Conference

Sunday 26 – Thursday 30 September 2010

North African and Mediterranean Essential Oils and Aromas: 2010 Tales and Realities of our Industry – a new decade of challenges and opportunities. The IFEAT 2010 Annual Conference was a resounding success for delegates who attended the event which took place at the Sofitel Hotel, Marrakech, near to the old town of Medina on 26th to 30th September. A record number of delegates (738) and accompanying persons (127) representing 51 countries were able to enjoy the warm welcome and efficient organisation that ensured the success of this event. Under the Chairmanship of Alain Frix, the Local Organising Committee provided superb entertainment and networking opportunities around a programme of interesting and topical presentations on the theme of “North African and Mediterranean Essential Oils and Aromas”. The majority of delegates arrived and checked in on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th September at the three Conference hotels located in close proximity. On the evening of the 26th September the Welcome Reception was held in the tropical gardens of the Sofitel Hotel. Local traditional music was played and this set the scene for the week to come. Day one, Monday 27th September, the conference officially started with the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Resources, Mr Aziz Akhenouch who gave a welcome address. Following this presentation there were three lectures providing detailed analyses of Morocco’s essential oils and agriculture sector, including a presentation on argan oil, which is unique to Morocco. The theme continued throughout the day on topics centring on other North African and Mediterranean oils, including Egypt, Tunisia (which included two interesting films on essential oils in Tunisia) and Turkey. There was also a presentation on the PASS cluster established to increase the competitiveness of the natural fragrance sector in France and North Africa. The first lecture day ended with a panel discussion on North African and Mediterranean Essential Oils. Day two, Tuesday 28th September saw the morning lectures discuss product identification, green extraction techniques and global markets. During day two, the IFEAT Business Meeting also took place where members of IFEAT met and voted on various items, including the adoption of new IFEAT Articles of Association and the election of two new Executive Committee members, Jonpaul Howarth from Australia and Jorge Miralles from Spain. In addition, Alastair Hitchen, the retiring Executive Committee Chairman, gave his report on the past year’s activities, while other reports were presented on IFEAT-supported courses on flavours and perfumery, the forthcoming IFEAT Indonesia Study Tour in 2011 and next year’s Conference in Barcelona as well as a review of IFEAT’s Conciliation Service. Dr Jamal-Eddine Chahboun of Phytotagante then presented the Medal Lecture in which he reviewed his involvement in the Moroccan and French essential oils industry over the past two decades. Following the presentation of the IFEAT Medal, Gaëlle Jacobsen of Unilever and Dorothea Bodnar of Dreidoppel GmbH received their awards as Best Students for 2010 in their respective IFEAT courses held earlier in the year. The afternoon session saw four lectures on the industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, with special emphasis on smallholder and organic production. A Discussion Panel followed this on the state of the industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Annual IFEAT Dinner was held on the evening of the 28th at the beautiful setting of the Palmeraire, surrounded by hundreds of illuminated palm trees, a sea of red carpets and dozens of Berber tents creating a unique scenic experience. The 2010 Founders Award was presented to Dr. Clinton Green who has had an active involvement with IFEAT since the late 1970s, initially in the capacity of technical advisor, but from 1998 to 2006 he was the IFEAT Conference programme coordinator and editor of the conference proceedings. As with the Welcome Reception, guests were entertained by local traditional musicians and belly dancing. At the end of the evening guests were guided back to their coaches as horses and riders paraded up and down, firing their rifles. Day three, Wednesday 29th September, was a full and busy day for those participating in the Field trip to the factories of Phytotagante, Santis Sarl and Naturex. It was an early start but participants enjoyed a full day’s experience and gained a greater understanding and insight into the workings of these three companies that play such an importance role in the production and processing of Moroccan essential oils. The Essential Oils Short Course was also held on this day, presented by Dr Brian Lawrence, and this too was well attended. The last day, Thursday 30th September began with a morning session of lectures on “Environmental and Organic Developments”, including papers on guaiac wood oil in Paraguay, the impact of EU pesticide regulations and trends in organic cosmetics and personal care products. There followed two presentations on African gum arabic and resins, particularly frankincense. The afternoon sessions covered “Regulatory and Legislative Developments”, which generated much discussion between delegates and the Panel at the end of the day. Legislative developments, particularly in the USA and EU are having a profound effect on the industry and the way that business is being conducted. Topics covered were a review of the new legislative and regulatory developments taking place in the USA, the new EU flavouring legislation, a review of REACH consortia and what is meant by “natural”. The end of the 33rd IFEAT Conference saw the Closing Banquet held at the prestigious Beldi Country Club. Guests enjoyed a formal sit-down dinner and were entertained by a cabaret act. A disco was also provided for those wanting to dance the night away under the stars. The success of the Conference arose from the efforts of many people. These included: the IFEAT Marrakech Conference Committee and the Local Organising Committee, particularly the chairman Mr. Jalal Charaf; the delegates who have continued to support the IFEAT Conferences with their attendance, advertisements and sponsorship of coffee breaks, lunches and evening events; and finally the speakers that give of their time to organise and give presentations, often travelling long distances. Their efforts, along with the Session Chairs and the Discussion Panel members, are much appreciated.

Shanghai 2009

IFEAT 2009 Shanghai Conference 18th to 22nd October 2009

The main themes are the essential oils and aroma chemical industries and market developments in China. Other topics include product quality and food safety; legislative issues, including REACH implementation; and regional market and technical developments. The IFEAT Annual Conference this year was held at the prestigious Shangri-La Hotel, located within the financial district of Shanghai, and with stunning views across the River Huangpu to the Bund, as well as being surrounded by some of the world’s newest, most spectacular and tallest buildings. This year the conference attracted a record total of 661 Delegates and 92 Accompanying Persons. A Welcome Reception was held on the evening of Sunday 18th October. Participants were entertained by traditional Chinese drummers and dancers and concluded with Winnie Yeung (Co-Chairman of the Local Shanghai Conference Committee) and Alistair Hitchen (IFEAT Chairman) “Drawing the Eyes” of the Dragon, symbolising good fortune and the opening of the IFEAT Conference. Also on Sunday, CHINAEASA (The China Essential Oils, Aromas and Spice Association) and IFEAT organised a trade show promoting China’s essential oils and aroma industries. Some 32 companies exhibited in the Grand Ballroom, which for the remainder of the week was the location of the Conference presentations, which totalled some 25 papers in all, along with three Discussion Panels. For the first time at an IFEAT Conference, simultaneous translation facilities were provided. Conference lectures began on Monday 19th October following two welcome addresses from the President of CAFFCI (the China Association of Flavor, Fragrance and Cosmetic Industries) and the Vice-President of CHINAESA. This year’s Conference theme was “Essential China: A Major Consuming Market and Sourcing Partner in a Turbulent World” and aimed to provide delegates with presentations on topical issues and legislation within the industry as well as focusing on the essential oils, aroma chemicals and flavours and fragrance sectors in China. The Monday morning sessions’ presentations concentrated on China and discussed the setting up a business, the import market structure, the China “concept” in fragrances, and a paper on the manipulation of plant hosts to significantly increase the production of aromas. In the afternoon, three presentations were made on developments in China’s essential oils industry, including papers on star anise and citrus. A Discussion Panel followed this on the day’s proceedings. The session topics arranged for Tuesday 20th October centred on the aroma chemicals industry in China and legislation and regulatory issues, namely REACH and GHS legislation. Mr Yongcheng Hu of the Shanghai Apple Flavor and Fragrance Co. Ltd. presented the Medal Lecture whilst Sylvia Kokot was awarded a medal for the Best Perfumery Student of 2009. Tuesday morning also saw the IFEAT Business Session, including the AGM and presentations on the education programmes supported by IFEAT, the IFEAT Study Tour of southern Italy, undertaken earlier in the year, and a presentation on Marrakech, the location for the 2010 IFEAT Conference. On the evening of Tuesday 20th October, the IFEAT Dinner was held at the floating Sea Palace on the Huangpu River, situated close to the Shangri-La Hotel, where IFEAT Members and their guests were treated to traditional dancing and entertainment.

Montreal 2008

IFEAT 2008 Montreal Conference

28th September to 2nd October 2008

The 2008 IFEAT Annual Conference took place in Montreal, Canada with attendance of over 590 delegates and 90 Accompanying Persons. The week started with the Welcome Reception on Sunday 28th September held at The Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel and as usual this was a busy event as friends and business associates met again for the first time in a year. The theme of this year’s conference was “North America and the World: The Challenge”and Conference Co-Chairman Kim Bleimann opened the Monday morning session by welcoming delegates to the conference then the lecture programme kicked off with Developments in the Fragrance and Flavour Industries both in North America and globally. Following presentations by IFF, Symrise and Booz we were very pleased to welcome New York Times columnist Chandler Burr who gave a lively presentation on the future of naturals in perfumery. The Monday afternoon lectures concentrated on developments in mint oils and Canadian essential oils. The first session of Tuesday morning covered the aroma chemicals sector in North America and China. This was followed by the IFEAT AGM and Business Meeting. During this AGM there was a presentation to outgoing IFEAT President Hugo Bovill by his successor Michael Boudjouk, plus presentations on the 2009 Study Tour of Italy, the 2009 IFEAT Conference in Shanghai and IFEAT supported programmes at Plymouth and Reading Universities. The session concluded with the Medal Lecture by Dr Guy Collin on aspects of Canadian essential oils and the presentation of medals to this year’s Best Students on the Reading Flavourist and Plymouth Perfumery sponsored courses – Alejandra Marambio and Anna Bindi. Tuesday afternoon concentrated on citrus oils with presentations on orange, lemon and lime oils as well as Mexican citrus oils and concluded with a discussion panel on these topics. Tuesday night was the IFEAT Dinner which was held at the Marche Bonsecours in Old Montreal. As the venue was once the site of a marketplace the evening was themed around this with vendors selling local artisanal produce and entertainers in traditional costume. Music was provided by members of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra who flew in from New York especially for the event – a real treat for the guests. The field trip took place on Wednesday and delegates visited La Sucrerie de la Montagne, a maple syrup producing operation where they learned of the traditional methods of distilling maple as well as experiencing a full Lumberjack Breakfast! This was followed by a visit to Cedre Recyclé Marcotte a cedarleaf recycling facility and then went on to Ottawa where they had the opportunity to take part in a walking tour of the city. Also taking place on the Wednesday was a Perfumery Workshop hosted by John Ayres and Tony Curtis of Plymouth University. This intensive full day workshop was a pilot scheme that we hope to roll out at future conferences and was aimed at giving a small group of delegates a real insight into the processes and techniques of perfumery. Feedback received indicates that it was successful in achieving its aims and was a very worthwhile session to attend. The last day of the conference, Thursday 2nd October, included lecture sessions on REACH and other legislation followed by a REACHReady Surgery in the afternoon. The surgery was led by Jo Lloyd (Director of REACHReady) and supported by Cristina Arregui (EFFA) and Hans van Bergen (EFFEO). This interactive surgery provided the 30 delegates with practical guidance on how to implement the legislation and provided them with opportunities to quiz the experts on this critical subject for the industry. The main session on Thursday afternoon reviewed key environmental and economic issues affecting the essential oils sector by Pierre Trahan, Rob Brown and Daemmon Reeve. The Thursday night Closing Banquet was a spectacular evening at the Windsor Station and included a number of fantastic circus acts on both the stage and in the air. Montreal is the home of Cirque du Soleil so it seemed only fitting to base the closing event around this theme. During the evening, IFEAT Chairman Alastair Hitchen and Past President Richard Pisano presented the IFEAT Founders Award to Dr Brian Lawrence in recognition of his contribution to the industry. There were also further presentations made to the Conference Committee Co-Chairmen Katrina Neale and Kim Bleimann as well as to Pierre and Anne-Marie Trahan and Tina Yang An from Cedarome in thanks for the huge contribution that they each made towards the conference arrangements. We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone involved in organising the conference. The event was once again a massive success and we have been delighted with the feedback received. We look forward to seeing you in Shanghai!

Budapest 2007

IFEAT 2007 Budapest Conference 23rd to 27th September 2007

IFEAT’s international conference for 2007 was held on 23-27 September at the InterContinental Hotel, Budapest, Hungary. Marking exactly 30 years since the Federation’s inception in 1977, the conference was a massive success with a very impressive 590 delegates and 86 Accompanying persons registered, which is a record numbers of attendees all brought together to enjoy the conference and its social events in the beautiful city of Budapest. The programme began as usual with the Welcome Reception held in the InterContinental Hotel on Sunday 23 September. This is always a great start to the proceedings giving everybody their first opportunity to catch up on old acquaintances as well as making some new ones. The constant hum of conversation was interrupted briefly to allow the guests to witness some typical Hungarian dancing by the Palotas. The lecture programme kicked off on Monday morning with the Conference Chairman Michael Boudjouk formally opening the proceedings and welcoming the guests to Budapest. Monday’s lectures concentrated on Global Developments in the Aroma Chemicals Industry with the entire afternoon session being devoted to REACH and its implications. The session concluded with a very well attended panel discussion. Tuesday morning’s lecture programme commenced with the same Global Developments theme with the second session of the day being devoted to IFEAT Business. This incorporated the Annual General Meeting and reports on the Education at both Plymouth and Reading Universities. This was followed by an enjoyable and in depth report on the 2007 IFEAT Study Tour to Egypt given by Ian McLean who was one of the participants of the tour. This was followed by the IFEAT Medal lecture given by Éva Németh on behalf of Professor Jeno Bernáth who regretfully was not able to attend. She happily accepted the medal presented on behalf of the Professor. A Best Student medal was also presented to Neil Wiltshire who was awarded the highest on the Diploma in Perfumery course from Plymouth University. The session concluded with presentations to Katrina Neale as she reached the end of her Executive Committee Chairmanship and to Michael Boudjouk as he reached the end of his term of service to the Executive. The theme of Global Developments in the Aroma Chemicals Industry continued on Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday night’s IFEAT Dinner gave those IFEAT Members and their guests with tickets the opportunity to see some of Budapest’s well documented sites – from the river! Guests were lead by a brass band and welcomed on board the river vessel which took them along the Danube to Ladik Csarda, the venue for the dinner. An impressive fireworks display greeted the guests on arrival, arranged in celebration of IFEAT’s 30th Anniversary, they were then seated for an evening of food, wine and folklore entertainment. Wednesday was field trip day for the delegates which this year took in the distillery and plantation facilities for fennel and hyssop owned by Silvestris and Szilas. The company is headed by Csaba and Judit Fodor who were also instrumental in many of the conference arrangements as the Local Organising Committee. Delegates also visited Lazar Tanya for lunch with the added entertainment of a memorable horseshow. Well done to those brave enough to join in! Thursday’s lecture programme focused on the Central European and Baltic regions with the afternoon session concluding slightly earlier giving delegates and accompanying persons plenty of time to get glamorous for the Closing Banquet. This year’s closing event was held at the magnificent National Gallery where traditional Hussar’s greeted guests on their arrival to enjoy their welcome cocktails. Gourmet dining and fine wines were accompanied by an impressive string quartet with Michael Boudjouk and incoming IFEAT Executive Chairman Alastair Hitchen providing the speeches in thanks to all for attending and to those responsible for the organisation. Those with the energy then danced the night away until midnight. The 2007 conference was definitely a successful event, totally in keeping with the sense of occasion in this, IFEAT’s 30th Anniversary year!

Cape Town 2006

IFEAT 2006 Cape Town Conference

27th November to 1st December 2006

It was held on the 27 November to 1 December 2006 at the Arabella Sheraton Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa. As this was the first time the conference has been held in a Sub Saharan country, it was appropriate that the main theme for the conference was the Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean, with focus on Production and the Market in the Region. Attendance at the conference continues to exceed all expectations each year with 520 delegates and 88 Accompanying Persons making the trip to Cape Town as well as some 35 Day Delegates. The conference commenced with a Welcome Reception on the 27 November held at the Arabella were guests arrived to be greeted by traditional Zulu Warriors and the uplifting voices of the choir. Drinks and canapés were followed by a brief performance from the Zulus and a Welcome speech by Cape Town Committee Chairman, Martin Gill. The conference 3 – day lecture sessions began on Tuesday 28 November and included reviews of regional markets and production in Sub Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean as well as looking at some of the individual oils of the region in more detail. Wednesday and Friday also included panel discussions on industry, regulations and growth markets. The IFEAT Business Meeting was held on the 29 November. Open to both members and non members of the Association, this session was made up of the IFEAT AGM, Annual Review and Educational reports as well as presentations on the 2007 Conference in Budapest and the Egypt Study Tour which is also planned for 2007. The IFEAT Medal Lecturer for 2006 was Professor Earle Graven who gave an enjoyable presentation on his own eventful journey “On the Scent of South African Essential Oils”. Unfortunately, the Best Student medal winners were not able to attend the conference this year, however we are making arrangements for their medals to be presented at a later date. This year’s AGM saw the retirement of Dr Clinton Green who has been IFEAT’s Conference Programme Co-ordinator for many years and whose involvement with IFEAT in general goes back even further. This year’s excellent lecture programme was a great credit to Clinton as have the previous nine conference programmes and his retirement will be much deserved. Clinton hands the reigns of Programme Co-ordinator over to Peter Greenhalgh who has already started working on the lecture programme for the Budapest conference. The IFEAT Annual Dinner was held on Wednesday 29 November at Moyo restaurant located in Spier, Cape Town. This dinner, open to IFEAT members and their guests, was attended by 350 people who sat out under the stars enjoying a grand buffet of local and international dishes as well as some traditional African singing and dancing entertainment. The Field Trip took place on Thursday 30 November and delegates were able to choose one of two locations to visit – Grassroots or Afriplex. Both destinations involved a tour of the fields, distilleries and premises of the company and gave delegates an insight into the production of buchu and other essential oils. Groups then met for a picnic lunch at the vineyards of the La Motte estate where they were able to partake in a little wine tasting! The conference came to an end with the Closing Banquet at the Arabella on Friday 1 December. During this dinner, a presentation was made by IFEAT Chairperson Katrina Neale to IFEAT’s Founder, Ron Neal in appreciation of his continued contribution to IFEAT throughout it’s 29 year history. He has attended every IFEAT conference and has been closely involved in the planning of most of these events. Katrina also announced that from next year’s conference in Budapest there would be a new accolade, the Ron Neal Award of Excellence, that will be presented to a person who has contributed significantly to the essential oils and aroma trades industries. This presentation marked the end to the formal proceedings of the conference and guests were left to take to the dance floor for the remainder of the evening. IFEAT would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who was involved in making this conference such a huge success.

History of the 40 years of IFEAT!

Read Peter Greenhalgh’s “History of IFEAT” series. The full version in a book was given as a gift at the Athens Fortieth Anniversary Conference 2017. Each of these articles has been included in recent issues of IFEATWORLD.